1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a slide device for a movable rack and more particularly, to a slide device for a movable rack which glides in both a forward/backward direction from a mounting rack which is installed to be drawn out inside a machine body (such as a dishwasher, oven, storage or the like), to reduce the impact and noise when the movable rack is pushed back into the mounting rack.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a home appliance or industrial machine, such as a dish washer or oven, etc., includes a mounting rack and a movable rack to load the articles, such as dishes to be washed or foods to be cooked, or to unload articles, such as the washed dishes or cooked foods.
The mounting rack, which is installed to be drawn out inside the machine body, is usually placed on mounting rail grooves formed on both sides in a cavity forming a washing space or cooking space of the machine.
When a plurality of the mounting rail grooves are formed along the both sides of the cavity, the position to place the mounting rack is variable.
That is, when a plurality of the mounting rail grooves is formed along both sides of the cavity, a user can change the position of the mounting rack by fully taking it out to the outside of the cavity and placing it in different mounting rail grooves.
However, when the mounting rack is placed in the same position and a movable rack is installed on the mounting rack so as to slide in a forward/backward direction, the user can load or unload articles by pulling out only the movable rack in the forward direction of the cavity, without any need to separate the mounting rack from the cavity, such that the mounting rack stays inside the machine body.
The present invention relates to a slide device for a movable rack which slides in both a forward/backward direction on the mounting rack which can be drawn out from a machine body.
Patent Document 1 discloses a rack assembly and an oven having the same.
The rack assembly according to Patent Document 1 comprises: a mounting rack to be mounted inside an oven cavity; a movable rack to slide on the mounting rack and be pulled out/pushed into the oven cavity; a rail allowing the movable rack to slide on the mounting rack; a support rib enabling the mounting rack to be positioned at a predetermined height inside the oven cavity; and a movement preventing rib preventing the mounting rack from moving in the forward direction of the oven cavity at least when the movable rack slides.
The rack assembly according to Patent Document 1 is removed from the oven cavity and the movable rack where articles are loaded is drawn from the mounting rack supported in the oven cavity.
In the slide devices for a movable rack according to the conventional art including the rack assembly of Patent Document 1, a supporting bar and a securing bar are installed in a mounting rack and a movable rack. A rail section includes a first rail, a second rail and a third rail and the first rail is secured to the supporting bar and the second rail is secured to the securing bar. Therefore, since many parts are required and manufacturing is cumbersome, production costs are high.
Further, in the slide device for a movable rack according to the conventional art, when the movable rack and the securing bar are drawn out to the outside of the cavity, since the supporting bar and the mounting rack move by the inertia force, pulling out the movable rack is not smooth.
Further, in the slide device for a movable rack according to the conventional art, the movable rack has a pair of fixing brackets, a holding grate is positioned between the two fixing brackets, and a moving rail member to be connected to a fixing rail member of the mounting rack is positioned at each bracket. Therefore, it is cumbersome to manufacture the movable rack and further since the movable rack is heavy, it makes uneasy to be handled.
Accordingly, the applicant of the present invention has presented a slide device for a movable rack which prevents the movement of the mounting rack when the movable rack is pulled out from the mounting rack installed in the storage space of a machine body and which is movable on the mounting rack in both a forward/backward direction, to be easily manufactured and handled and therefore to improve productivity and enabling cost reduction.
Patent Document 2, which is an application filed by the present applicant, discloses a slide device for a movable rack.
The slide device for a movable rack according to Patent Document 2 comprises: a machine body defining a storage space with an open front and both sides where a plurality of mounting rail grooves are formed; a mounting rack removably positioned at any one of the mounting rail grooves formed in the storage space of the machine body; a movable rack positioned to slide on the mounting rack in a forward/backward direction; and a locking unit to secure the mounting rack to the machine body so that the mounting rack is prevented from being movable when the movable rack is drawn on the mounting rack. The locking unit includes a locking member; a spring and a locking bracket. The locking member has a front to be connected to a fixing rail member by a hinge such that the locking unit is pivotable vertically, and a locking groove formed at a lower end. The spring is positioned between the locking member and the fixing rail member, to elastically support the locking member. The locking brackets are positioned at the rears of both sides defining the storage space of the machine body and includes a plurality of locking pieces which are provided vertically.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of major parts of a slide device for a movable rack according to the prior art filed by the applicant of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a mounting rack and a movable rack of FIG. 1, FIG. 3A is a side view of major parts when the movable rack is pushed in the mounting rack according to the prior art, and FIG. 3B is a side view of the major parts when the movable rack is drawn from the mounting rack according to the prior art.
In a slide device 500 for a movable rack according to the prior art filed by the present applicant, when a movable rack 530 is placed on a mounting rack 520 installed in a storage space (S) of a machine body 510, as shown in FIG. 3A, since a moving rail member 531 fixed to the movable rack 530 supports a locking member 541 of a locking unit 540, the locking member 541 is maintained in an upwardly pivoted state. Accordingly, the mounting rack 520 is pushed inside the storage space (S) or pulled out to the outside of the storage space (S).
When only the movable rack 530 is pulled out forwardly from the mounting rack 520 in the state that the mounting rack 520 is installed in the storage space (S), the moving rail member 531 is pulled out forwardly and a rear of the locking member 541 downwardly pivots through the elasticity of a spring 542. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 3B, a locking groove 541a of the locking member 541 is connected to a locking piece 543a of a locking bracket 543 and the mounting rack 520 is locked and prevented from moving.
When the movable rack 530 is pushed backwardly to be placed on the mounting rack 520 in the state that the mounting rack 520 is locked, the moving rail member 531 pushes up a lower end of the locking member 541 so that the locking member 541 pivots upwardly. Accordingly, the locking groove 541a of the locking member 541 is separated from the locking piece 543a of the locking bracket 543 and the mounting rack 520 is unlocked so that the mounting rack 520 and the movable rack 530 are pulled out from the storage space (S) of the machine body 510.
According to the slide device 500, when the movable rack 530 is pulled out from the storage space (S) of the machine body 510, the mounting rack 520 is locked. When the movable rack 530 is pushed in, the mounting rack 520 is unlocked so that the mounting rack 520 and the movable rack 530 are pulled from the storage space (S) of the machine body 510.